SA inquest told hospital death avoidable

Doctors treating an Adelaide man who took his own life differed in their diagnosis of his condition with an expert psychiatrist believing his death could have been prevented, an inquest has been told.

South Australian Coroner Mark Johns has begun an inquiry into the death of James Nicholson, 65, in 2015.

Mr Nicholson was found on the floor of a bathroom at the Noarlunga Hospital after trying to kill himself and died three days later.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Ahura Kalali told the inquest on Tuesday that the Vietnam veteran had been admitted to hospital because of his erratic and paranoid behaviour which included irrational fears.

One doctor diagnosed him with steroid-induced psychosis in relation to the drugs he was taking, as part of his cancer treatment.

But the inquiry heard that subsequent doctors came to other conclusions and changed aspects of Mr Nicholson's treatment regime.

Mr Kalali said an expert psychiatrist would tell the coroner that Mr Nicholson had a "standard presentation" of steroid-induced psychosis and, with treatment with anti-psychotic medication, his death could have been prevented.

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Mr Nicholson's son Scott also told the inquiry that upon his father's admission the family was told that his issues were a "textbook" case related to the steroids he was taking and that his behaviour was reversible.